Belford Dolphin drills another dry hole for ONGC

Belford is drilling in the deep waters off the eastern coast, at location L1-1 in water depths of 2650 metres. This is Belfords ninth deepwater well and its first in the eastern offshore.

Indications are that this well will also turn up a dry hole like the previous ones in the western offshore. Belford spud the well around 5th February and was set a target depth of 5000 metres.

By last week she had crossed 4500 metres at which point a 7-inch liner was lowered. Target depth reaching Cretaceous sediments is expected to be reached around 5th May.

No testing will be carried out, unless there is any significant show, and Belford will move to her next location in about a fortnight. A source adds that ONGC had identified seven targets between 3200 metres and 4500 metres but logging did not reveal anything positive.

Belfords next location GRK-1 is about 50-km south of L1-1 in water depths of 2690 metres on NELP-I block KG-DWN-98/4. Target depth for Belfords 10th well will be 6000 metres, again in Cretaceous era sediments.

We are told seismic attributes for the 10th location are similar to those of the 9th location. But ONGC feels there could be good structures.

Separately, news is not encouraging from ONGCs own deepwater drillship Sagar Vijay, which is also in the eastern offshore, drilling her fourth well. Sagar Vijay is sitting in 500 metres water depth and drilling to target depth of 3200 metres.

Sagar Vijay is drilling a S profile well and had a minor mishap on 25th April at 3000 metres. The string got stuck while controlling a kick, says a source.

ONGC tried pulling out the drill pipe but couldnt and decided to cut the string, cement the hole and sidetrack the well. Sagar Vijay had some gas shows at this well.

Belford Dolphin has had problems almost from the start at her current well. A fortnight into drilling, the Blow Out Preventor had to be closed after the well became active and began to flow on its own. The drilling team initially tried to increase the mud weight but that did not yield results. Eventually the BOP had to he closed and the mud weight was gradually increased. Belford?s next location, block KG-DWN-98/4, measures 7455-sq km. ONGC (85% stake and operator) and Oil India (15%) make up the consortium on this block for which the PSC was signed in April 2000.

Belford Dolphin has had problems almost from the start at her current well. A fortnight into drilling, the Blow Out Preventor had to be closed after the well became active and began to flow on its own. The drilling team initially tried to increase the mud weight but that did not yield results. Eventually the BOP had to he closed and the mud weight was gradually increased. Belford?s next location, block KG-DWN-98/4, measures 7455-sq km. ONGC (85% stake and operator) and Oil India (15%) make up the consortium on this block for which the PSC was signed in April 2000.